


The Road Trippin'

by BrandeisBlue



Series: Road Trip [1]
Category: Hey Arnold!
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Bonding, Drama & Romance, Dysfunctional Family, F/M, Friendship, Goofy adventures, Romance, Silly Situations
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-23
Updated: 2016-03-23
Packaged: 2018-05-28 13:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6330559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrandeisBlue/pseuds/BrandeisBlue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arnold and Helga head out on a nice road trip, they hope.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Road Trippin'

    **T** he asphalt sizzled under Hillwood’s unforgiving sun, exhaust from city buses and jalopies adding to a despicable heat the Pataki porch could offer no solace from no matter how much Helga offered pit and forehead sweat sacrifices.

“Criiiiiiminy,” she groaned loudly, one vowel following her backhand wiping above her brow for the umpteenth time, “Hurry up Arnoldo, I’m dying out here.”

To emphasize her point she slouched further off the steps, lifting up to slide her infamous 'sprawled body routine' on the ground. With only her head elevated by the bottom step now, the edge dug uncomfortably enough into her neck and so she removed her topknot then lifted up slightly to let her thick blonde hair provide cushion before resuming her impression of a deadbeat drunk.

Helga chuckled. Maybe she looked more like some fallen from grace prostitute? The glamour and glitz of her lifestyle waning, she’d run away from home for at fourteen. A plan which had backfired on her just like her rich parents said it would and now here she was, twenty two and crawling back home in a pool of summer heat but too ashamed to knock on the door.

_POP!_

A prickling itch suddenly scratched uncomfortably on Helga’s skin from the startling noise, making her open one eye while shifting her position, bringing her long legs into a cross and plucking the see-through material of her yellow shirt off of her in hopes of relief.

Old Packard had run over a water bottle as she parked and her driver seemed to hesitate before deciding to turn off the engine. The door creaked open and slammed shut and Helga knew it was because he hoped it captured some of that sweet, new AC a bit longer.

Not a moment too late, Arnold P. Shortman stood directly in line of the sunlight that had been beating down his poor, withering friend, not only providing a wonderful bit of shade but a marvelous view provided by the way the rays poured gold in his corn silk hair; the light outlined his short, pink-striped red button up and black cargoes like his whole body was a halo. God, even his fine leg hair was glowing.

With his hands on his hips and his eyes lidded by a chuckle he’d blown from his nose, Arnold deducted with genius, “You look sweaty.”

“Holy shit, Sherlock you’re brilliant!” Helga opened both eyes wide, feeling rejuvenated.

“I have my moments Watson.” He held his hand out to her and Helga sniggered at the metaphor such a scene painted.

“Ready to get out of here?”

“Guess what I was imagining.” Helga gestured with her eyes to look above her.

Blinking curiously, Arnold followed the look, letting out a tiny ‘oh’ sound when he noticed her duffel bag perched at the top of her stoop and then made his way up to grab it. Not immediately noticing wasn’t his misstep as gentleman, no. He knew very well by now that all attention had to be directed on Helga G. Pataki when with were with her or else you’d chance missing out on the full experience.

“So...?” Helga tilted her head back to watch him.

Arnold wondered as he shouldered her duffel, leaning against her door for a pause because, her steps in _this_ heat was a workout.

They studied each other so differently; Arnold’s eyes roamed their surroundings, trying to see what many things Helga could piece together in this sluggish weather while Helga’s eyes roamed him, giddy beyond words at the scrunch of his nose, the slight purse of his lips, the inner bite of his cheek (his Pondering Tells she called them) and the brightened look in his eyes when he caught something.

“Prostitute!” He snapped his fingers and pointed at her with an exuberance that definitely confused anyone passing by.

“Look at you!” She applauded with her tone, making Arnold feel like quite the cock of the walk as he descended. She held her hand out and he swept her up with the ease of a prince leading his princess to his rickety yet reliable carriage.

“New ‘humble beginnings’ this time around.” Helga continued. Pulling Packard’s passenger door open, she removed her duffel from Arnold’s shoulder to toss it inside, using the leverage to haul herself in and roll the window down.

“What was it before? Your parents were the cops who put you away?” The way he leaned forward on her door with a face full of genuine curiosity for another of her silly stories made Helga’s heart flip and a tiny smile take over her grin.

“I can’t believe they would put their own kid away. I was missing for three years and the first slap on the wrist they give me is a pair of cuffs!” She lost herself in the fantasy before remembering what kind of parents she actually had.

“Then again,” She shrugged, “maybe that sounds like something they’d do. Or, whatever the opposite of what good parents d-“

“Woah!” Arnold reacted quickly, lacing one of his with hers while holding his other under her elbow to stop its decent toward the overheated frame.

Helga blinked in surprise at such care. She really ought to pay more attention to her movements during setups for her self-deprecating humor.

“That humor of yours is really out to get you a lot of bumps and bruises.” Arnold voiced, mimicking her thoughts.

Embarrassed, Helga shrugged, “Oh you just wanted to hold hands ya sap.”

Feeling his hot palm push back her sweaty bangs made Helga’s skin burn more than this Hillwood summer ever could.

“Whatever you say Helga.” He agreed before pecking her lips quick and making his way back to the driver’s side even quicker while Helga jerked the window up.

They both rejoiced in the noisy rattled of the AC, all but shoving their faces in their vents. After a few more moments of worship, Arnold sat up to shift the gears, then prop his hand up.

“ _Now_ ready to get outta here?” He repeated.

Helga smirked and slapped her hand in his, jostling in playfully before accepting the hold.

“Born ready Geekbait.” And this she meant with more severity than he knew or needed to know of in this lighthearted situation.

And Arnold laughed.

He couldn’t believe he was looking forward to week’s worth of those quips.

“You know, if I’m the geek _bait_ then you’re the geek.”

“I changed my mind take me home.”

**Author's Note:**

> This has nothing to do with it but, because of this one tumblr post I am forever self conscious of how I write summaries. Like, "yep, this definitely sounds like I watch a lot of movie trailers."


End file.
